1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an autonomous mobile robot, and more particularly, to a technology of making a hand of the robot hold goods and carry it.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently are performed various attempts for making an autonomous mobile robot carry goods. For example, the applicant has already proposed a goods carrying system enabled to perform a receiving movement without giving a person an uncomfortable feeling when the robot receives goods from her/him (see JP 2004-361467 (paragraphs 0151 to 0175, FIGS. 13 to 28). The robot of the system includes such an openable and closable gripper for gripping goods, an external force detection means for detecting an external force acting on the gripper, an opening detection means for detecting an opening of the gripper, and an autonomous mobile means; receives the goods from a person; and can deliver the goods to a destination such as a person and a placement place. When the gripper detects an external force not less than a first predetermined value in a state of not gripping goods, the robot of the system is configured to make the gripper start the receiving movement, and to determine a receiving movement completion during the receiving movement, based on at least one of the detected external force and opening of the gripper.
However, in the conventional system of the JP 2004-361467 the robot is assumed to receive goods from a person (hereinafter referred to as “passive receipt”). In other words, when the robot receives goods from a person, it is requested for her/him to position the goods to the gripper (corresponding to a human hand) held forth by the robot and to push the goods with a certain degree of force. Therefore, a work is requested for a person, though slightly, to hand goods because she/he is requested to pay some attention to the gripper held forth by the robot and to make the robot hold the goods.
Furthermore, when the robot grips received goods and moves to a destination, it is not possible to carry a liquid such as a beverage and difficult to carry it in a state of especially not being lidded because the gripper vibrates every step by which the robot proceeds.
Considering the above points, in handing goods from a person to a robot, it is convenient if the robot can take the initiative to receive (tentatively referred to as “initiative receipt”) goods put on a predetermined place or held forth by her/him without a necessity of an assistant movement accompanied with an attentive positioning by her/him.
Furthermore, it is convenient also for carrying a liquid if it is possible to suppress a vibration (tentatively referred to as “vibration suppression control”) of a gripper while carrying from an acquisition source to a destination.
Consequently, a robot is requested that can take the initiative to receive goods from an acquisition source, carry the goods with suppressing its vibration while carrying by the vibration suppression control, and surely deliver the goods.
Furthermore, a goods carrying method is requested that enables an autonomous mobile robot to take the initiative (without a personal assistance) to receive goods from an acquisition source, to carry the goods with suppressing its vibration during carrying by the vibration suppression control, and to surely deliver the goods.